Itchy Sweater
by Entire Oranges
Summary: Hoshi gives Malcolm a gift for his birthday and reveals some secrets to him.


"Thanks."

"Don't you like it? Here give it back." Malcolm smirks, pulls the newly unwrapped box closer to himself as Hoshi reaches over. He had tried to conceal the slight and natural disappointment of when he opened the Christmas gift, the gift he had instated he hadn't wanted, to find a wool sweater. Wool made him itch. He quickly figured he could wear it once making sure he had a shirt on underneath to block exposed skin.

"Really it's great. The ship has been a bit cold as of late." A lie, in fact lately he found it hot as hell.

"Good. I should get going more gifts to give out. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course." Malcolm watches her stand there suddenly looking nervous. He raises an eyebrow preparing to question about the change when she takes a step forward and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I'm sorry Malcolm." Sorry? For that? He knew he wasn't and smirks again, heart pounding, feeling 14 all over.

"For what?"

"Sorry that I love you." At that moment he began to struggle with his thoughts, finding them all jumbled, before he can correct the problem she turns and walks off.

"Xerox? Seriously? Hoshi did he actually just say Xerox?" Trip leans over, his elbow almost making contact with the potatoes.

"Yeah he did." For the tenth time she moves her head to watch the door.

"What's wrong with wanting to name a child Xerox? It's pretty."

"Travis do you even know what xerox means?"

"Well no, I found it on some old document." Hoshi takes that moment to turn again, this time finding and making eye contact with him. He smiles and makes his way over. He was wearing the sweater and rubbing his arm every other step.

"Hey guys. Hoshi." Malcolm only looks at her.

"Hey, here take a seat," Travis kicks out a chair, "unfortunately there isn't any turkey left, chef brought out the tray, there was a humorous mad dash, frankly I'm surprised no one was left behind in the frantic!"

"It wasn't that bad."

"I take it you didn't see crewman Keller?"

"You should have told me you were allergic to wool."

"It's fine."

"Malcolm I'm pretty sure you are going to tear off all your skin if you don't stop scratching!" She reaches across the table and pressed her hand atop of his stilling it.

It takes Hoshi a moment longer than had been planned to remove her hand away, soon as she did with a smile of appreciation Malcolm takes off the sweater tossing it on the floor.

"I promise I'll get you something nicer and I'll make sure you're not allergic to it! Which for you won't be easy."

"No it never is. That's why I didn't want anything. For one thing it's just easier for everyone." So involved with their yapping with only each other they both fail to take note of Trip and Travis exchanging looks and quietly removing themselves from the table.

"Must get frustrating."

"It's only life really it doesn't bother me. To be honest I'm surprised the wool even had a reaction, you know with this shirt on under it and I had Phlox give me an injection to counter the effects."

"Likely it wasn't strong enough. Again I really am sorry."

"And once again I have to say it's fine. I'll be right back I wanna get something to eat, minus the turkey of course. Want anything?" She shakes her head and he stands up heading towards the buffet table covered with now only half filled trays.

Once Malcolm returns to the table, food half haphazardly thrown on his tray, along with a piece of pecan pie for Hoshi, even though she hadn't requested anything; they eat in silence. Around them nearly the entire crew it seemed walked, laughed and danced to music being piped in from the intercom system.

"Hoshi about what you said earlier, well what did you mean?" He was able to notice immediately her skin changing to a slight red and becoming fascinated with a pea that had escaped from his tray and successfully rolled to the middle of the table.

"I meant I'd get you a new gift."

"No not that, but you already knew that. I was referring to when you apologized for loving me."

"It was an accident Malcolm really just forget." He knew that was never going to happen.

"So you don't love me? Or you aren't sorry about it? I won't be waiting all night for an actual answer Ensign." He thinks pulling rank will have an effect. It fails, only receiving silence.

"Are you going to stay for the Zorro movie later?"

"No. I'll be having a discussion with you." She turns a deeper red.

With a sigh Hoshi tosses her fork onto the plate. "Alright I'll tell you, but not here."

"The armory should be unoccupied, will that work? She nods and they both stand, make their way through the crowd until they exit the mess hall. Just he had predicted the room was empty, she continues walking until she leaning against the opposite wall from the door.

"This isn't easy Malcolm." She says softly, it was to the absent of any other noise that gave him the allowance to hear.

"I won't imagine it would be."

"I don't know how, when, or anything but at some point I think, no I'm fairly certain I have fallen in love with you. Even though it's impossible to two reasons. One Starfleet would never allow it. Two you don't feel the same." Before the sentence was complete he walks over to her and softly places his hand on her shoulder.

"How do you know that?"

"I just assumed. Plus it's pretty obvious I'm not your type, not pretty enough. Can we not talk about this aga-" Her words become cut off by him pressing his lips to hers, like earlier, but longer and slightly more passion.

* * *

"You're wrong. Do you really think about it wear something I was allergic to for just anyone?"

"Oh." He finds it funny for a linguist all she could only come up with was two letters. The room felt like five elephants had entered, causing discomfort and uneasy feelings, as they individually they fought with the idea of what to say or do next.

"It's like a Jane Austen book or something isn't it?" Malcolm says have at least three minutes.

"Excuse me?"

"Nervous confessions of lords, ladies, laying everything out on the table, risking everything." He starts to trail off, embarrassed.

"You read Jane Austen?" He nods. "Wow I had no idea."

"There is alot you don't know know about me Hoshi."

"Like the fact you are allergic to wool?" They both laugh.

"Yeah like that. If you still want to see that movie we can head back pretty sure it hasn't started yet, but it certainly will not be the last time it's shown, so perhaps instead we could just stay here?"

"And talk?" He grins wide, eyes sparkling before leaning in for another kiss.

"Yeah something like that."


End file.
